Breaking news: family pay tribute to fatal shooting victim

The family of a father of one who died after being shot on the doorstep of his Wath home have paid tribute to “a great husband and dad”.

Tyron Woodhead’s wife Gill, said: “As a family we are devastated by Tyrone’s death, He battled on through for nearly a month before he died. He was so strong and loved by many people we cannot believe what has happened and our family will never be the same again.

“He was a great husband and dad to Shannon and his parents Jim and Jen miss him so very much.

“Our many friends and family have rallied round and helped us through this very difficult time. Thanks to all and we will like now the media to respect our privacy.

Police are now treating the death of the 42-year-old as murder.

He was shot in his upper body at his home in Doncaster Road, on Thursday, September 20, and spent more than four weeks in hospital.

Mr Woodhead, a delivery driver for Wath-based building supplies firm Longleys, regained consciousness in hospital but was never well enough to be spoken to by detectives about his ordeal.

He was given emergency first aid outside his home by a takeaway worker from the shop next door, who heard the gun being fired. Paramedics arrived and rushed him to hospital.

Police believe the shooting was a ‘targeted’ attack and had charged two men with attempted murder.

The charges are now expected to change after Mr Woodhead’s death.

Nathan Wingfield, 22, of no fixed address, was the first suspect charged over the shooting. He is also accused of robbery, relating to a separate incident in Wath on September 20, and aggravated burglary in Bentley, Doncaster, on September 12.

Stephen Barry Rodgers, 29, from Thurnscoe, who was arrested in Southport, Merseyside, is accused of attempted murder and robbery. Both men were in custody.

A few days after the shooting, Mr Woodhead’s garage behind his terrace home was set on fire, but police said the incidents were not linked.

Mr Woodhead, who died last Wednesday, was hailed a hero when he dragged a knife-wielding thug off a woman while she was being attacked in the street by a former boyfriend in 2006.

He was driving through Wath when he stopped, jumped out of his lorry and dragged attacker Philip Stier off 39-year-old mother-of-five Doreen Corbett.

She later died from her injuries after never regaining consciousness.

When Stier was jailed for 17 years after admitting murder, Recorder of Sheffield Judge Alan Goldsack QC awarded Mr Woodhead £400 for his efforts.

Speaking at the time, the hero said: “I never even thought about the danger. I just heard a lady screaming.

“All this has come as a shock. I just did what I’d expect everyone else to do, but people were just driving straight by.

“His face was full of anger and when I saw him jumping on her head I knew she had a fractured skull.”

He was also presented with a certificate for civilian bravery at a national award ceremony.

Anyone with information should call South Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 1,146 of September 20. Crimestoppers can also be contacted on 0800 555 111.